A mum and her two daughters have been handed custodial sentences after they pocketed £125,000 running an illegal puppy breeding business in 'atrocious' condition in their family home. More than 50 dogs and puppies were found in squalid conditions during a police raid on the home in Fochriw, South Wales.
Mother Julie Pearce and daughters Rosalie Pearce and Kaylie Adams sold the puppies online, on sites such as Gumtree, as the pups of a beloved family pet, WalesOnline reports. In reality, the dogs were kept in filthy rooms, covered in faeces and urine with little water, light, or fresh air in what was actually a large-scale dog farming operation. Barristers for the trio claimed their clients were genuinely sorry for what was happening in the property.
Cardiff Crown Court was told when officers from Caerphilly Council along with police and RSPCA officers and a vet attended the property on Glyn Terrace in March 2022, they found 54 dogs kept in 'atrocious' conditions in dark rooms covered in faeces and urine. The defendants were not present when the search warrant was executed, and the dozens of dogs were in the care of a youth.
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Many of the dogs had dirty and matted hair and some had a flea infestation, the court heard. Officers found a number of puppy pens which were far too small for the number of puppies kept in them, and the dogs were "desperate for attention and play", despite being nervous around people, showing a lack of socialisation.
In one of the bedrooms, described as unventilated with a "heavy fly infestation", a dozen dogs were found - officers described many of them as small and underweight. 23 more pups were found living in the dining room without water. Officers also found a bitch nursing her litter in a room described as too cold for the puppies, with no water for the mum.
While officers searched the home, Adams, aged 24, and her 33-year-old sister Rosalie Pearce returned. When their phones were looked over for messages between the three defendants, it became clear they had been running an "extensive and unlicensed dog breeding" business breeding multiple litters of pups - though for much of the time mum Julie Pearce had been living in Spain while her daughters did the hands-on work in the house.
The court heard the three advertised their puppies on Gumtree with no indication of where they came from. One example read to the court advertised a Shih Tzu-cross puppy as "raised in our busy family home" and whose mother was their "loved family pet". The court heard details of a statement from the woman who bought the pup in question for £2,000 as a present for her mother in which she said she would never have purchased it had she realised it came from a puppy farm.
Over the two years, the defendants made some £125,000 from their puppy breeding business, the court was told.
Rosalie Pearce and Kaylie Adams, both of Glyn Terrace, Fochriw, Bargoed, had previously pleaded guilty to running an unlicensed dog breeding business, engaging in unfair commercial practices, causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, and failing to meet the welfare needs of animals when they appeared in the dock for sentencing. Julie Pearce, of the same address, had previously pleaded guilty to the same unlicensed dog breeding and unfair commercial practices charges when she appeared alongside her daughters. Barristers for all three defendants claimed the were all genuinely remorseful for what had happened.
Hannah Friedman, for Julie Pearce, said her client had always kept dog and began breeding them as a hobby but then during the Covid pandemic she "saw an opportunity to make money doing something she loved". She said the defendant left Wales for Spain in September or October 2021 and was "mortified" at what happened in her property. Kathryn Lane, for Rosalie Pearce, said her client was an animal lover and was genuinely remorseful at the way the enterprise "spiralled".
Judge David Wynn Morgan described the case as "appalling" and said the motivation for the operation was the "greed" of the defendants, and he said he was satisfied that Julie Pearce was behind the breeding business even though she now appeared to be trying to shift the blame to her daughters. He said the conditions the dogs were found living in contrasted with £125,000 the trio made from breeding and selling them.
The judge said any sentence other than a custodial one would be an "affront to the public" but they were sentences that need not be served immediately. Rosalie Pearce was sentenced to 56 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work; Kaylie Adams was sentenced to 56 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation course; Julie Pearce was sentenced to 42 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months. All three defendants were banned from keeping animals for the next 10 years. A Proceeds of Crime Act investigation will now be launched into their finances.
Speaking after the sentencing Philippa Leonard, Caerphilly Council's cabinet member for public protection, said animal welfare was a priority for the local authority, and she urged anyone with suspicions about unlicensed and "unscrupulous" puppy breeders to report their concerns. She said: "Sadly unlicensed breeders often prioritise profit over animal welfare. Unlicensed dog breeding is a serious matter and it is hoped that the outcome of this case will serve as a strong deterrent to those who operate in this manner.
"Animal welfare is a priority in Caerphilly and we will not hesitate to seek out and take action against anyone who flouts the law. Proceeds of Crime Act investigations and civil orders for reclaiming the costs of housing and caring for any seized dogs will also be pursued in addition to prosecution and disqualification orders.
"If anyone is concerned or suspicious of illegal dog breeding please contact our trading standards or licensing teams. Your information will help us tackle illegal puppy breeding in Caerphilly and will help stop animals being exploited by unscrupulous breeders."
The dogs rescued from the Fochriw puppy farm were placed with the Hope Rescue charity, and all have now been found permanent new homes. Sara Rosser, operations manager with the charity, said they were pleaded to help the council in looking after the dogs.
She said: "It was shocking to see so many dogs living in such awful conditions. The majority needed to be completely clipped off by our staff at the centre because their coats were so matted in faeces and urine and many were covered in fleas. Some of the dogs were also pregnant or feeding young puppies and needed additional care.
"After living such sheltered lives many of the dogs also needed extra support in learning about normal dog things such as walking on a lead, travelling in a car and house training. We are pleased to say that all of the dogs have now gone on to find wonderful homes where they have become much loved family members and able to live the lives they deserve."
